Russellville head coach Harley Sisson said that this year’s senior class has been part of the transition from where the Lady Cyclones, below, had been four years ago to the Class 6A state contender they’ve become. The seniors are (from left): Kayla Sisco, Jacey Neagles, Sommer Purtscher and Brooks Laffoon. (THE COURIER / submitted)

When the Russellville Lady Cyclones hit a rough patch earlier in the year, it was the senior class that came to the rescue. After two players left with injuries and the Cyclones dropped a pair of games, Russellville’s four seniors, Kayla Sisco, Jacey Neagles, Brooks Laffoon and Sommer Purtscher called a player-only meeting to turn things around.

Perhaps that’s why head softball coach Harley Sisson said they were exactly the sort of senior class a coach wants out of his players.

“I don’t think they called anyone out,” assistant head coach Mickey Duvall said. “I think they called themselves out. After that meeting all four of them improved their game. It’s easy for a senior to be along for the ride, but they’re not like that.”

“It’s been interesting coaching them,” Sisson added. According to the coach, loyalty and commitment play a big role in the class of 2013. “They’ve been with me for four years and they all bring different things to the field. They’re all so different from each other as well.” Sommer was overwhelmed with that loyalty and commitment when the Lady Cyclones battled back from a 3-2 deficit to defeat their rivals the Conway Lady Wampus Cats — after Sisson had been ejected from the game. For many of the Lady Cyclones, it was the highlight of their entire career.

“It was really emotional for me,” Purtscher said. “When we finally won, I cried. I haven’t cried all year. I’m not really an emotional person, but we wanted it so badly and coach wanted it so badly.”

Duvall said that the seniors aren’t individual leaders. They lead as a unit.

“They’re a tight group,” he said. “They mold together as a senior class to lead.”

“I don’t think about it [leadership] too much,” Laffoon added. “At least, I don’t think about the discipline aspect of it. I don’t do that unless I have to. I just kind of expect people to already know what to do.”

Many of these girls’ entire lives have revolved around softball. With just a handful of games left, many of the girls worried about the void that would be left from baseball. None of them had plans to play college softball.

“I guess I’ll have to fill it up with school,” Neagles said. “But I’m so glad I was a part of this. The relationships you build playing softball you won’t get in a classroom.”

The Lady Cyclones have improved every year since the class of 2013 came in as freshmen. Their junior year, they lost in the Class 6A state championship game. This year, they are poised to make another run. Sisco told Duvall early in the year she didn’t just want to win the state championship — she wanted the classes that came after her to win as well.

“She wanted to leave a legacy,” Duvall said.

Russellville will honor its senior softball players in a ceremony today before the Lady Cyclones take on the Southside Lady Rebels.